Mail-transferring apparatus.



J. R; SHEFFIELD.

MAIL TRANSFERRING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-3.19M.

1,204,596. r Patented Nov. 14,1916.-

JAMES R. SHEFFIELD, or oaarnaen, NORTH-CAROLINA.

MAIL-TRANSFERRING APPARATUS.

' Specification of Letters Patent. V

Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

Application filed August 3, 1914. Serial No. 854,764.

To all '20 7mm it ii my concern Be it known that 1, JAMES R. SHEFFIELD, citizen of the United States, residing at Carthage, in the county of liioore and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail- Transferring Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for transferring mail. r

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved, simplified and efficient receiving means, so arranged relatively to co-acting delivery meansas to positively and safely transfer mail matter froma fast moving train to a stationary support or vice versa. 7 j

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in their preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, described in the follow ing specification and then more particularly pointed out in the claims which are appended hereto and form a part of this application.

In describing my invention in detail ref erence will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of the transferring apparatus illustrating theapplication of the invention; Fig. 2 1s an elevation, the car being shown in section, of the support means mounted on the car; Fig. 3 is a,

fragmentary side elevation of the delivery end of the stationary-support; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the parts illustrated in Fig. 3; and'Fig. 5 is a similar view of the receiving end of the support means mounted on the car.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals, 1 designates an ordinary railway mail car, through the door of which, support means for the mail matter acted upon projects. In its preferred embodiment, the support means comprising the present 1nvention consists of an arm 2 pivoted as.a t 3 to the door frame, said arm being braced as at 4, the brace member being also pivoted in axial alinement with the pivot 3 above noted. Any suitable catch device such as indicated at 5 may be provided to lock the support or arm 2 in its extended or operative position.

Arm 2 at its outermost'endis branched to form an upper extension 6 and a lower extension 7, the former being cut away at a point adjacent its free end as indicated at 8 to form a seat within which is fitted and pivoted as at 9 the support or delivery member 10 forming a part of the car-carried transferring means. An extension 11 is formed integrally with that portion 6 of the support means adjacent. or at each side of the groove 8 wlthin which the member 10 is pivoted, the respective extensions 11 serving as a means whereby the said member is supported in a substantially horizontal plane when swung to extend in either direction as will. hereinafter appear.

- Extension 7 is provided with a groove 8 and projections 11 in substantially the same A stationary support 14: is positioned at one sideiof the railway track in the usual manner, sald support member 14 consisting of an arm 15 pivoted as at 16 and terminating at its free end in extensions designated respectively 17 and 18. Extension 17 is bifurca-ted at its free end to receive an arm or receiving member 19, the said member being pivoted to the extension in such a manferred to, being provided therefor. Member 1? may also be provided with a transverse pm as shown Extension 18 is also bifurcated at its free end toreceive a delivery member or arm 20, the latter being pivoted .111 such a manner as to be swung from one to the othersi'de of the said extension, the

support means thereforwhen swung at either side consisting of a removable ele-' ment 21 fitting the bifurcation and being held in place through the medium of bolts 22 extending therethrough as shown to advantags in Figs. 3 and 4.

When it is desired that mail matter be transferred from a moving train to the stationary support, the said mail matter is suspended from the arm 10, the mail bag havingassociated therewith a ring 23 which, by'

Cit

reason of the weight of the mail bag is held in the path of arm 19 of the stationary support so that the latter, as the train passes the support, will cause the arm to engage the ring and remove the mail matter from the said arm 10. A transfer of mail from the stationary support to the moving train is accomplished in much the same manner, the mail matter being suspended from arm 20 so that the ring is positioned in such relation to arm 12 as to be engaged thereby. When mail matter is suspended fro-1n both the arm and the arm 20, the transfer of the mail matter onto the arm 19 and onto the arm 12 is simultaneous.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it is apparent that the arms 10, 19, 20 and 12 may be swung to extend in the direction opposite to that shown so as to effect transfer should the train be moving in an opposite direction to that indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1; that the transferring device mounted on the car may be swung into an inoperative position when not in use; and that the several arms are shaped in such a novel and peculiar manner as to facilitate transfer.

In reduction to practice, I have found that the form of my invention, illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, is the most eflicient and practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A mail receiving device including a vertical support bifurcated at one end to receive between the extensions thus formed an arm, said arm being movable to extend laterally of the support from either side thereof, and a detachable supporting element mounted between said extensions to engage with the under side of the arm whereby to support said arm in a substantially horizontal plane and against movement subsequent to adjustment.

2. A mail receiving device including a support bifurcated at one end, an arm pivoted between the extensions formed by said bifurcation, said arm being movable in a substantially vertical plane to extend laterally of the support from either side thereof, and a detachable supporting element of a size to extend beyond the opposite longitudinal edges of the support, said supporting element being mounted between said extensions to engage with the under side of the arm whereby to support said arm in a substantially horizontal plane and against movement subsequent to adjustment.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES R. SHEFFIELD. l Vitnesses W. T. JENKIN, G. B. MUsE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing; the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, I). C. 

